Lock structure



p 1944. w. R. SCHLAGE 2,357,552

LOCK STRUCTURE Filed July 15, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

ATTORNEK Sept. 5, 1944.- w. 1 2. SCHLAGE LOCK STRUCTURE Filed July 15, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 MWN.

INV NTOR. imam/ 2 W ATORNE% Patented Sept. 5, 1944 UNITE D STATES RATEN T 1 OF Fl CE LOCK STRUCTURE WalterR. Sjchlage,'Burlingame, Calif, assignor t'o Schlage Lock Company, San Francisco, Calif.,

a corporation of California Application july is, 1941, Serial No. 402,450

7 Glaims.

This invention relates toa lock structure, and especially to 'a lock housing and an adjustable face plate therefor.

The object of the present invention is generally to improve and simplifythe construction and operation of lock structures of the character described; to provide-a lock housing to which a face plate is pivotally attached to permit the face plate to be adjusted to the bevelled edge of a door; to provide a structure embodying a face plate, a frame and a lock housing, and in which the housing is secured to the frame, and the frame is pivotally connectedto the face plate; to provide a frame which is substantially U-shaped and in which the arms of the U-shaped-fra-me are sufficiently resilient and spring-like in con struction to permit springing of the arms to attach or release the frame from the pivotal connection with the face plate; and further, to provide a housing which may be'constructedof comparatively light sheet metal and, when secured to the U-shaped frame, will be reinforced thereby.

The lock structure of the present invention is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the frame pivotally attached to the face plate;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the lock'housing;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the frame;

Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views of the front andrear sections, respectively, of the face plate;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View showing a modified form of'face plate;

Fig. 7 is a perspective View showing a modified form of frame;

Fig. 8 is a plan view, partially in section, and partially broken away, showing the pivotal connection between the frame and the face plate;

Fig. 9 is a similar view showing the face plate tilted; V

Fig. 10 is a cross section taken on line XX of Fig. 11;

Fig. 11 is a side elevation, partially in section, showing a modified form of face plate and 100k housing; I

Fig. 12 is a section taken at right angles to Fig, 11, showing the face plate in tilted position;

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 12, showing the face plate without being tilted;

Fig. '14 is a perspective view of the modified form of face plate shown in Figs. 10 to 13, inelusive;

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the forward end of the lock housing shown in Figs. 10 to 13, inclusive; and

Fig. 16 is a central,-longitudinal section of the face plate shown in Fig. 14. y

Referring to the drawings in detail, and particularly to Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, A indicates a housing which is adapted to receive the knob spindle, the rollback mechanism, and the latch bolt of a door lock. The housing shown is' preferably formed from comparatively light gauge sheet metal, as it is reinforced and materially stiffened by a frame, generally indicated at B (see Figs, 1 and 3). V This frame is formed from fairly heavy strip steel and bent to form apairpf arms 2- and 3, and an integral end section 4. The forward ends ofthe arms are perforated, as at M and I5, and the function of ,these perforation will hereinafter be described.

The frame B, besides functioning to reinforce and stiffen the housing A,-also serves the function of forming a'pivotal connection'between'the housing and -a face plate generally indicated at C. This plate'is formed of two'sections, 5 and 6; the section 5, to be known as the outerplate, has a rectangular opening 1 formed therein to receive and guide the latch-boltin thelock. It has two recesses 8 formed at opposite ends of the opening 1, and it is punched toformtwo tubularrivets 9. The plate 6, to be known as the inner plate, has a largerrectangular opening I'll formed therein, and is perforated at' opposite ends, as indicated'at I2, to receive the tubular rivets 9, and it is'provided with two pintle lugs I I.

In actual practice, the'outer ends of the arms -'-2 and 3 forming a portion of thereinfor'cin'g frame are pressed together a. distance s'ufiicient to'permit them to-be inserted in the opening ID of the plate 6, and to'clear the inner ends'ofsthe lugs H. The arms arethen released and will spring outwardly, and'the lugs will thus enter the openings M of the arms and as such will form-a pivotal connection between the plate 6 and the frame B. The outer plate 5 is next-applied, and the rivets 9 are clinched over, as shown in'Fig. -1,

thus permanently assembling the outerand inner plates of the face plate. -At the same time that .the outer plate is applied to theinner plate, the ,recesses 8 will extend partially 'over the outer ends of the arms 2 and 3- of the'f-rame; 'a-nd---it is.

thus secured against being sprung inwardly after the assembly has been made. The outer ends of the arms 2 and 3, or the corners, are cut off, as shown, to permit free pivotal movement, and the slots or perforations [4 are preferably provided with high points on opposite sides, as shown at I4, to permit free pivota1 movement.

After the frame has been attached to the inner face plate, and this in turn has been permanently secured to the outer face plate, the housing A may be slipped over the U-shaped frame. The forward end of the housing is notched, as shown at Hi, to clear the pintle lugs l l, and back of said notches are formed pairs of lugs 11, which are bent inwardly and downwardly into the slots H3 in the arms, thus securing the housing to the arms of the frame. In Figs. 8 and 9, this assembly is clearly shown, and it is obvious therefrom that the face plate is given sufficient pivotal movement to take care of any bevel which may be formed on the edge of the door. That is, most doors are bevelled to permit a snug fit between the jamb and the door when the door is closed. In such instances the face plate will adjust itself to the bevelled face and it will there be permanently secured by passing screws through the tubular rivets into the edge of the door.

In Fig. 6 the inner face plate indicated at 6 is slightly modified. In place of forming the pintles ll thereon, strap-like members ll are formed, and th pintles proper, indicated at ll are formed on the outer ends of the arms of the frame (see Fig. 7). The pivotal connection is thus formed by a mere reversal of the parts.

In Figs. 10. to 16 inclusive, a further modification is shown. In this instance, the frame B is entirely eliminated. The forward end of the housing, indicated at a, (see Fig. is slotted at the four corners, as shown at I9. Two arms 20 are thus formed and these are provided with pintle lugs 2| at the outer ends. Inasmuch as the housing a is formed of sheet metal, the arms 20 are sufficiently resilient to permit springing action; that is, they are forced toward each other when inserted in the face plate shown in Figs. 14 and 16, and the housing is then pushed inwardly until the lugs 2| register with slots 22 formed in the face plate. They will then spring outwardly and a pivotal interlock is thus formed between the face plate and the housing.

Th face plate may be circular in formation, as shown, or it may obviously be of rectangular shape, as shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive. Where the face plate is circular, as shown in Fig. 14, the opening 23 will be rectangular or square, depending upon the shape of the latch bolt, or it may be partially round, as latch' bolts sometimes are. A sleeve projects inwardly from the face plate, as shown at 24; .This sleeve is slotted to form the slots 22. Spring fingers 25 may be formed by longitudinally slotting the sleeve, as indicated at 26. These fingers engage the interior opening formed in the door, and thus frictionally secure the face plate, whether it be tilted to conform to the bevelled edge of the door, as shown in Fig. 12, or whether the door is left with a straight edge, as shown in Fig. 13.

While these and other features of my invention have been more or less specifically described and illustrated, I wish it understood that various changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims, and that the materials and finish of the various parts may be such as the experience of the manufacturer and varying condi tions of use may demand.

Having thus described and illustrated my in vention, what I claim and wish to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a lock structure of the character described. a lock housing, a face plate therefor, a pair of flexible arms carried by the housing, interlocking means on the face plate and means on the flexible arms movable into and out of engagement with the interlocking means by flexing with the arms.

2. In a lock structure of the character described, a lock housing, a face plate therefor, a pair of flexible arms carried by one end of the housing, and means forming a pivotal connection between said arms and the face plate, said flexible arms permitting the pivotal connection to be connected or disconnected by flexing of the arms.

3. In a lock structure of th character described, a lock housing, a face plate therefore, a pair of flexible arms carried by one end of the housing, interlocking means on the face plate, and means on the flexible arms movable into and out of engagement with the interlocking means by flexing of the arms, said means on the arms, and the interlocking means on the face plate forming a pivotal connection.

4. In a lock structure of the character described, a lock housing, a face plate therefor, a pivotal connection between the housing and the face plate, and a spring actuated yielding member in the pivotal connection to permit separation or assembly of the face plate and housing.

5. In the lock structure of the character described, a lock housing having upper and lower sections and a pair of sid walls, said upper and lower sections being cut longitudinally to form a pair of flexible arms, a face plate for the housing, interlocking means on the face plate and means on the flexible arms movable into and out of engagement with the interlocking means by flexing of the arms.

6. In the lock structure of the character described, a lock housing having upper and lower sections and a pair of side walls, said upper and lower sections being cut longitudinally to form a pair of flexible arms, a face plate for the housing, interlocking means on the face plate and a lug on each arm movable into and out of engagement with the interlocking means by flexing of the arms.

'7. In a lock structure of the character described, a lock housing having upper and lower sections and a pair of side walls, said upper and lower sections being cut longitudinally to form a pair of flexible arms, a circular face plate for the housing, an annular flange on the rear side of the face plat and adapted to telescope over one end of the housing, said annular flange having a pair of opposed openings formed therein and a lug on each arm movable during flexing of the arms into or out of the opposed openings in the annular flange to interlock or release the face plate with relation to the housing.

WALTER R. SCI-ILAGE. 

